Yukiko
Dove,
a
special
education
teacher
at
Leesylvania
Elementary
School,
was
among
those
honored
at
the
Prince
William
County
Human
Rights
Commission's
Universal
Human
Rights
Day
Celebration.
The
annual
event
recognizes
individuals
in
the
community
whose
actions
express
and
promote
the
principles
of
human
rights.
Dove
was
recognized
for
being
an
advocate
for
families
of
children
with
special
needs
in
the
Prince
William
community.
She
is
the
founder
of
Prince
William
County
Autism,
a
group
she
started
four
years
ago
after
her
son
was
diagnosed
with
autism.
The
group,
which
has
grown
to
700
families,
shares
resources
and
serves
as
a
support
system.
Dove
is
also
a
founding
member
of
Empowered
Beginnings
and
Beyond,
which
provides
free
prenatal
education
classes
to
teenagers
in
the
county.
In
addition,
she
serves
as
vice
chair
of
the
PWCS
Special
Education
Advisory
Committee.
"Being
a
special
needs
parent
has
brought
me
strength
and
endurance,"
said
Dove.
"As
a
special
education
teacher,
I
like
to
advocate
for
the
introduction
of
more
resilient
families
to
families
that
may
not
be
coping
so
well
with
their
special
needs
child.
I
believe
that
my
child
with
autism
is
a
gift
who
brings
me
opportunities
and
helps
me
to
learn
life
skills
I
otherwise
wouldn't
have
learned
without
him."
Some
PWCS
students
also
had
an
opportunity
to
shine
at
the
event;
members
of
the
Human
Rights
Student
Leadership
Council
(HRSLC),
consisting
of
24
PWCS
high
school
students,
were
in
attendance
and
served
as
event
facilitators.
The
students
also
had
the
opportunity
to
attend
leadership
sessions
prior
to
the
awards
ceremony.
